Do Unto Others

In his new book, a Queen Village writer praises the practice of not-so-random acts of kindness.

by Richard De Wyngaert

In Human Kind, Brad Aronson thoughtfully weaves together life-changing stories, including his own, to underscore the transformative potential that acts of kindness engender. His book provides wonderful examples of how this simple and often underestimated act can transmit enduring change.

Brad, Queen Village neighbor, entrepreneur, husband and father, is keenly aware of the reverberative degree to which the kindness of friends, neighbors, teachers, employers, coaches and mentors can shape one’s life. He currently teaches entrepreneurship to inner-city teens and serves on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Hopeworks, and—at the suggestion of his mother—has been a mentor since he was in high school.

Brad’s life trajectory has, too, been informed by acts of kindness. He experienced the sustaining force of kindness when his wife was diagnosed with leukemia six years ago, and his family was overwhelmed by the compassion of friends, neighbors and health care professionals. For his family, this new community provided care that nurtured their spirits, made a real difference in the quality of their lives and perhaps affected the course of his wife’s disease. The lifealtering kindness they experienced compelled him to explore how it shaped others’ lives.

Human Kind is a collection of stories that embody the ripple effect of kindness. The forms that kindness takes are many: sharing food, offering tickets to a game, reading a book together, helping with math homework, playing a game of catch, bowling, initiating a warm hug, providing a second chance, giving of your time. Such acts often contribute to a cascade of positive outcomes that might otherwise have been, at best, elusive and, at worst, entirely out of reach. We act as we are acted upon. Behavior, good and bad, is contagious. To varying degrees, we often become the way we are treated. Brad wants us to understand this relationship and realize its promise.

Human Kind is a snapshot of inspiring stories about people whose lives have been indelibly marked, even transformed, by another’s kindness. Our world is undergoing enormous change on multiple levels. We read and hear constantly about the selfish, darker side of human nature. But there is another side characterized by abundant goodness about which we hear considerably less. Brad has shared anecdotes demonstrating a dormant wellspring of power within each of us to practice simple acts of kindness. By living so, we change the world for the better. ■

Read more at https://www.bradaronson.com/humankind-book